Struggling to pack nutritious and exciting tiffins for your child every morning? You’re not alone! Most moms deal with this daily challenge: How do I make something healthy that my kid will actually eat? The answer lies in blending nutrition with taste, colour, and creativity—and we’ve got you covered.

Here are 10 healthy and tasty tiffin ideas approved by Clinical and Sports Nutritionist Avanti Deshpande, practicing in Pune and Mumbai and rated as one of the top 10 nutritionists in India by Khaleej Times. These ideas are kid-approved, easy to prepare, and packed with essential nutrients to fuel your child’s energy and growth

1. Chickpea Tikki Roll

“Mom, I don’t want to eat chapati and sabji, today… make me something different!” We’re there for your rescue, make a chickpea (kabuli chana) tikki with mint, chilli garlic chutney, chilli, ginger, and salt as per taste. Use whole wheat or multigrain roti for an extra healthy twist. You can add chopped onion, tomato, and green chutney over the roti for the crunch. Rich in protein, iron, and fiber, chickpeas are ideal for developing children.

• Mixed Millets Pizza with Corn & Pesto

It’s pizza! Yes, you may be surprised, but a healthy pizza can be a great option for your kid’s tiffin box. Preparing a millet (ragi/jowar) pizza base with colourful veggies like bell peppers, carrots and corn makes it yummy. Millets are excellent for digestion and are high in nutrients. A homemade pesto or tomato sauce spread can be a great replacement to the packaged ketchups.

• Sprouts Bhel

Protein-rich and immune-boosting, sprouts bhel is crunchy, tangy, and simple to eat.

Add roasted peanuts and a pinch of chaat masala for that zing and flavour!

• Veggie Pasta in Spinach-Paneer Sauce

Creamy and flavourful like mac & cheese—but this veggie pizza is way healthier. While spinach provides iron, paneer gives protein and calcium. Make a tasty sauce with paneer and spinach and use whole wheat pasta. Adding cheese is optional.

• Steamed Dahi Wadas

Soft, cool, and perfect for those chaat cravings of your children. These steamed dahi wadas can be made with protein-rich urad dal and moong dal. Add grated carrots/cucumber, roasted jeera powder, red chilli powder and chaat masala in curd for a refreshing touch. Probiotics from curd makes it a nutritious option.

• Tricolour Paratha

Is you kid fussy about eating spinach and carrots? Then, why not make it into a paratha!Just puree the blanched spinach and boiled carrots, add ginger garlic paste and spices to taste and make a paratha with the whole wheat dough. Carrots (orange), spinach (green), and whole wheat flour dough (white) add fiber and vitamins. Serve with curd dip or green chutney for extra protein.

• Almond Banana Smoothie

Sweet and slurpy! Make this smoothie by combining milk, banana, and soaked almonds. You get healthy fats from almonds, potassium from bananas, and calcium from milk. Serve chilled with honey or dates in place of sugar.

• Ragi Cocoa Pancakes

Tastes like dessert, looks like chocolate! Ragi is rich in calcium and iron. Whisk or blend ragi flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and banana (optional) with milk and cook on a hot pan. Serve with a small amount of jaggery syrup or fruit puree.

• Protein Wrap

It’s like a mini meal wrapped up! Fill with rajma, paneer, tofu, or egg for protein power.Add grated veggies like onion, capsicum and tomato with a tasty green chutney or curd spread.

1. Oats & Dry Fruit Ladoo

A sweet treat and a healthy snack option combining oats and dry fruits like almonds, walnuts or pistachio. Oats are rich in fiber and dry fruits in healthy fats and energy. Instead of sugar, add honey or dates and serve cool.

Final Tips for Moms:

• Involve kids in selecting or preparing the tiffin—this increases their interest in eating.

• Add variety, colour, and familiar flavours with a healthy twist.

• Always sneak in at least one protein + one fiber-rich ingredient for sustained energy.

No more boring lunchboxes! These smart and tasty tiffin ideas not only keep your child happy but also give you peace of mind knowing they’re eating right—even when away from home.